Page 15 of His Godsent Duchess
"Your rules will not work," she said, her voice steady but seething. "The girls are children, not horses to be trained and disciplined."
The mention of horses flared his anger anew. "I have it on good authority that you went riding, and in men's clothing no less."
"It's the best way to ride," she argued passionately, leaning forward. "No one should be subjected to a sidesaddle that causes nothing but aches?—"
He cut her off, rising very slowly from his chair, his movements deliberate and menacing. Her eyes widened, and he heard her inhale sharply.She is nervous. Good.He swiftly yanked the bell pull by the door, and a moment later, Smith appeared, his expression neutral but curious.
"Smith, instruct Meyers to cancel all my trips. I am not to be troubled at all while in Kent," he ordered.
Once the butler left, he turned back to the Duchess, meeting her gaze. "I will rectify my family and bring them to order myself!"
Christina sat rigidly by the Duke's right, her fingers drumming lightly on the edge of the table as she tried to dispel the nervous energy coursing through her. Katherine was on his left, looking down at her plate and hardly eating.
The main course was a sumptuous roast beef with rich gravy, accompanied by buttered vegetables and warm bread rolls, but it might as well have been gruel for all the interest the girls showed in it. Cassidy, Amelia, and Agnes were also barely touching their food. The Duke, on the other hand, appeared to be eating without a care in the world, methodically cutting his meat and savoring each bite. This puzzled Christina, who could feel the tension crackling in the air like a storm about to break.
At one point, the Duke paused in his meal and looked around the table. "Why are you not eating?" he asked the girls, his tone carrying an edge of impatience.
Christina muttered under her breath, "How can they eat when they're barely allowed to breathe?"
He turned sharply to look at her, his eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
Christina smiled sweetly. "I said, perhaps the girls are not hungry." She then turned to them. "Girls, why are you not eating?"
They all shook their heads, mumbling various excuses. Christina looked back at her husband and gave him a look that wordlessly conveyedthis is your fault. He seemed to get the message because he turned his attention back to his food, cutting into his roast with a bit more force than necessary.
Agnes scratched her plate with her fork, causing a loud, grating noise. The Duke looked up sharply, and Agnes sucked in her lips. "It's an accident," she claimed innocently. When he looked away, Christina saw her smiling conspiratorially at Cassidy.A conspiracy, she realized with slight amusement.
Katherine began to giggle but quickly covered it by clearing her throat. The Duke gave her a questioning look. "I have something in my throat," she explained.
The Duke then turned to Christina. "How do you think of the children when they are behaving themselves?" he asked, his voice laden with a mix of curiosity and challenge.
Christina met his gaze, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Why, Your Grace, I find them quite delightful when they are being the proper little ladies you so desire." The words were delivered with a subtle sarcasm that conveyed her true feelings without betraying them to the girls, but clear enough for the Duke to understand.
The Duke's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, Christina thought he might respond, but he merely returned to his meal.
She studied him for a moment, measuring the wisdom of what she was about to ask. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Your Grace, I have been considering inviting my sister Annie to spend some time with us."
The girls immediately lit up, their excitement bubbling over. "Please, Father!" Cassidy exclaimed.
"Can Lady Annabelle come?" Amelia chimed in, her eyes wide with hope.
"It would be splendid!" Agnes added, practically bouncing in her seat.
Katherine, who had been silent, joined in with a smile. "It would be wonderful to have her here, Father."
The Duke looked around at them, his eyes slightly wide at the barrage of pleas. He then turned to Christina, his expression hardening. "No," he said firmly.
Christina bristled. "You did not even give the idea a thought."
"I do not need to," he replied coolly. "If Lady Annabelle is anything like you, her presence will not benefit the children."
He nodded at the girls, his tone dismissive. "Enjoy your meal."
With that, he pushed back his chair and rose, leaving the dining room with an air of finality.
Seven
Christina, you will have more luck catching flies with honey than with vinegar.
